Susan Poag/The Times-Picayune archiveNew Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul credits Byron Scott for helping him develop into a two-time All-Star and Olympic champion.As New Orleans Hornets players gathered at the Alario Center on Thursday morning, team president Hugh Weber met with captains Chris Paul and David West to inform them that Coach Byron Scott was fired and his replacement would be General Manager Jeff Bower.

Paul wasn’t happy with the decision, and he certainly wasn’t pleased with being caught off guard by the announcement. He said the Hornets should have sought his and West’s input before the decision was finalized.

"I felt like, maybe somebody would have at least consulted with me and asked how I felt before it happened," Paul said by telephone Thursday night. "It’s not to get my approval, but we feel we should know about the decision before it takes place."

The Hornets have struggled this season, getting off to a 3-6 start. Weber said the organization didn’t see enough improvement, which necessitated the move.

Scott is the only coach that Paul has played for since coming to the Hornets as a first-round draft pick in 2005. They became golf partners this summer and Paul largely credits Scott for helping him develop into becoming a two-time All-Star point guard and Olympic gold medal winner.

Though Scott was a demanding coach, Paul said their relationship transcended beyond the court.

"Coach had an open line of communication," Paul said. "Guys would feel a certain way about playing time, and Coach was always honest with you. He was always straight-forward with you from Day One."

Paul, however, said he has no problem playing for Bower or trying to excel in a different system than Scott’s Princeton offense. Bower said he may not stick with one primary offensive set, but could use a variety of schemes to get the best use of his talent. Paul is effective with pushing the tempo.

"I think we all need to have an open mind, the system could change, but we still have to play the game," Paul said. "Regardless of what is going on, the game is still basketball. I’m going to play as hard as I can every night.

"I know D-West is going to do the same. I know the team is going to do the same."